Speaking of "this time around," Julio Franco is once again a Brave. The track record for former Braves being brought back for a late-career encore is not a good one. Failed second acts for Terry Pendleton, Otis Nixon, and Mark Wohlers leap to mind. But Julio, even at 48, is a significant upgrade over Chris Woodward. And he's a guy I'd rather see up there as a pinch-hitter with a late-season game on the line than...say...Scott Thorman. You knew Thorman was going to struggle with offspeed stuff like any rookie...but the way he screws himself into the ground going after fastballs up in his armpits is excruciating to watch. TP, earn your money and shorten that kid's swing.

Finally...even though I don't know either one of them personally (not to mention some slight ideological differences), if a straight-shooter like James over at The Other Athens says Paul Broun is a good guy, that carries a lot of stroke with me.